1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to devices for packaging and dispensing a product, especially a cosmetic product.
2. Discussion of Background
“Cosmetic product” here means a product as defined in Council Directive 93/35/EEC of 14 Jun. 1993.
The present invention relates more specifically to devices for packaging and dispensing a stick of product such as lipstick, foundation, eye shadow, face powder, concealer, a medicated, cleansing or moisturizing composition, a deodorant, or a hair care product.
This sort of stick is usually packaged in a device of the type provided with a cup to support said stick moveably inside a sheath, a jacket around the sheath, and an outer sleeve around the jacket. Means for driving the cup are also provided to bring about, when an actuating member connected to the jacket is rotated, its axial movement inside the sheath between a storage position and a use position of the stick. The drive means may in particular take the form of studs on the cup and sheath engaging in grooves formed in the jacket, the sheath and the outer sleeve. For more details the reader may refer to U.S. Pat. No. 6,056,465, for example.
The product stick is generally consumed relatively quickly and the device is thrown away when the stick is finished. For this reason the component parts of the device are made cheaply as mouldings of inexpensive plastics.
However, the outer sleeve and the actuating member of the device of that patent are visible to the user from the outside.
That device is therefore not suitable for a luxury application because in such an application the use of low-cost plastics may tend to give the user an unfavourable impression.
What is more, given the dimensions of conventionally packaged cosmetic sticks, the size of the device is somewhat small, which can be a problem when it comes to holding it and twisting the actuating member in order to dispense the product.
It is also known, by document WO 2007/066855, a device for packaging and dispensing a lipstick comprising a dispensing assembly having a holding cup for the lipstick, a sheath in which the cup is mounted, a jacket around said sheath and an outer sleeve around the jacket and able to be rotated relative to said jacket. The sheath comprises a stud projecting through a longitudinal groove of the jacket and entering a first helicoidal groove in the outer sleeve. The holding cup comprises a stud projecting through a groove of the jacket and entering a longitudinal groove of the sheath and a second helicoidal groove of the outer sleeve. The device also comprises a case for the dispensing assembly comprising a rotary body mounted on the jacket, a tubular outer body and a lid mounted on said body.
CA 1 331 965 discloses a device for packaging and dispensing a lipstick comprising a holding cup, a sheath in which the cup is mounted, a jacket around said sheath and an outer sleeve around the jacket and able to be rotated relative to said jacket. The device also comprises tubes forming a casing for the dispensing assembly, one of the tubes being adapted to rotate the outer sleeve. To enable an axial movement of the holding cup, the outer sleeve comprises a stud extending radially inwards and engaging with a helicoidal groove in the jacket.
With such devices as disclosed in these two documents, when the associated actuating member rotates the outer sleeve, a relative movement of rotation occurs between the lipstick and the upper part of the case. Thus, if a lipstick and a case each comprising a bevelled upper end are used, these two ends are not always parallel relative to one another in the use positions of the lipstick.
Therefore, the user does not know how to position the upper part of the case with respect to the surface to be treated before the outlet of the lipstick outside the case.